• Sonny Bill Williams Close to Flying Again Following Knee Surgery

    Kiwi rugby supporters are no doubt cheered by reports that Sonny Bill Williams is looking a good prospect to be ready for the second Test with the French.

    With the mostly ceremonial and not worldwide observation known as Father’s Day on the horizon, we wonder, is SBW’s dad goes by Daddy Bill Williams?

    SBW is coming back from minor knee surgery that was intended to keep him from requiring major knee surgery. Perplexing as that prospect may sound, to understand knee surgery, all you must remember is that knee surgery performed on someone else is minor and knee surgery performed on you is the major variety.

    It was initially thought that the most recent procedure performed on SBW’s kneeling joint would keep him off until the end of June, but reports indicate that he was running nicely in training on Tuesday.

    ABs Jack Goodhue and Tim Perry seem to be coming back nicely from hamstring issues.

    AB Assistant Coach Ian Foster provided details regarding Williams, saying, “We knew all along it was a pretty minor type of operation and, if all things go well, it was going to be a pretty quick turnaround. He’s not trained fully at the moment, but he’s doing enough to keep interested and it’s a good learning week for him. Again, if he can take the same steps in the next four or five days, then he becomes a prospect [to play second French Test].”

    The more conservative view seems to think that holding SBW back until the third Test on June 23 is the correct course to steer, but ultimately, it remains to be seen what Steve Hansen, Foster and Grant Fox will do for naming players for the second Test.

    Following the 52 – 11 win in Test one at Eden Park, it appears that the brain trust that picks the players for the ABs have yet another opportunity to give some ground time to unblooded international players.